LUSAKA, Zambia -- Police in Zambia have charged a 74-year-old farmer for allegedly causing a bus crash that killed 53 people.

Officers identified the farmer as Van Eenden Abraham of Mkushi and said he was arrested Friday over the crash that happened about 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of Zambia's capital, Lusaka. Police spokeswoman Elizabeth Kanjela said Abraham faced charges of causing deaths by dangerous driving.

It wasn't immediately clear if Abraham had a lawyer. Kanjela said she did not know when he would appear in court.

Kanjela said Abraham was driving a sport utility vehicle and tried to overtake the Zambian postal service bus despite an oncoming semi-truck being in the other lane.

The crash Thursday was one of the worst fatal automobile accidents in Zambia's recent history.